They say the best way to learn more about wine is to drink as much as possible. But if you feel as if those couple of bottles each weekend just end in a blur, sip on this: On Thursday, April 17, the French Wine Society’s Rhône Renaissance lecture and winetasting will help you decipher the spices in a Syrah and the citrus notes in a Sauvignon Blanc.

Lisa Airey, FWS’s director of education, will lead a short lecture on France’s Rhône Valley. That’s followed by a tasting of some of the area’s top appellations, including Crozes-Hermitage, Côte Rotie, Gigondas, Château-du-Pape, and Tavel.

Wines will be paired with hors d’oeuvres from 11 area French chefs, including Michel Richard of Citronelle, Christophe Poteaux of Bastille, and Philippe Piel of Ici Urban Bistro.

The event takes place from 6 to 8:30 PM at the Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd., NW. Tickets are $65 for members of the French Wine Society, $79 for nonmembers. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.